Brown Butter White Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

I am also calling these cookies sunshine cookies because for this batch I used unicorn chips (which are vanilla flavored morsels that are dyed pink and blue) to add some color to the cookies and happiness to everyone who sees them! We all need rainbow food right now!

If you can’t tell from all of my baking recipes made during quarantine, one thing I really love is brown butter. It adds an amazing caramel note to any baked good and instantly makes a simple cookie seem fancy!

You will start by browning your butter. As I have explained in other posts, it takes a while to do this! First the butter will melt, then bubble, then foam, and finally as you’re stirring around the foamy butter, you will see little flecks of brown floating around. Success, you’ve browned your butter!

You’ll let the butter cool a bit before incorporating into your dough, which also has maple syrup, cinnamon, and toasted hazelnuts for extra flavor. Then you’ll roll the dough into little balls, top with flaky sea salt, and bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. And now you have very fun, but also fashionable, cookies!

Print Recipe

Brown BUtter White Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

These cookies are similar to a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie, but the hazelnuts, brown butter, maple syrup and cinnamon add another layer of flavor.

Course: Dessert

Servings: 20 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup toasted hazelnuts roughly chopped
• 1 10 oz bag white chocolate chips
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

• Cook the butter over medium heat in a saucepan, stirring frequently. The butter will melt, then bubble, then foam. After the butter browns, set aside to cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon).
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, combine the brown butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and maple syrup until fully incorporated.
• Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture lightens in color and thickens slightly.
• Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the hazelnuts and white chocolate chips.
• Let the batter sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the flour to absorb some of the liquid and for the batter to thicken.
• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Use a 1-oz scooper to portion out the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Make sure the cookies are spaced out, as they will spread in the oven. Sprinkle the flaky sea salt on top of the cookie dough balls.
• Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers are still soft. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack (or be like me and eat one piping hot out of the oven).